


Gunfight at Hollow Creek

by lebedeinetraume



Category: Justified
Genre: Gen, Old West, Stand-Off, Westerns, gunfight, shoot out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-23
Updated: 2013-03-23
Packaged: 2017-12-06 06:07:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/732298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lebedeinetraume/pseuds/lebedeinetraume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the old west, Boyd Crowder faces the wrath of the notorious outlaws known as the Marlon Gang in a final showdown.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gunfight at Hollow Creek

**Author's Note:**

> I claim none of "Justified" as my own. This is simply an idea that I had the other night and decided to write about it.

Boyd felt the sting of another bullet striking him, but instead of his side, this one struck him in the upper shoulder. Barely had he begun to feel the pain when he felt Raylan's strong hand grabbing his wounded arm and hurling him over the crates. He landed hard on the dirt and cried out as his back seized up with pain, though this went unnoticed as the gunfight continued. It had been nothing short of insanity that had put Boyd into this circumstance.

Hollow Creek was the small, dried-up ghost of a mining town stuck squarely at the bottom of two hills. It was also where the Marlon Gang holed up after their robberies and it wasn't Boyd, but Raylan Givens, who had been on their tail for the last few months. This was a federal case, not something for Boyd Crowder, who was quite content in building up his world wherever the river would take him. He hadn't imagined being so far from the lush riverbanks and dropped into this dry spit of a hell hole. Boyd also didn't figure he'd ever be fighting alongside Raylan, not for the first or second time, but for the third time.

Sure it was something that a US Marshal combined with the force of a posse could take care of, but none dared go against the Marlon Gang. They were known for their brutal murders of innocent people that got in the way during their heists, but for some reason, on this day, it didn't bother Boyd any. There wasn't much to them, Boyd figured as he recollected the first of the gang that he had gunned down with a quick draw at the beginning of the fight. Nor had it been difficult to take down a second one. In fact, the gunfire was lessening to just a pair of guns; Raylan's and Tattler's. Why had none of the others joined Raylan's posse? Why had he come here alone? Boyd winced as a terrible, fiery pain erupted from his side and he glanced down at his trembling hand, which was firmly placed against his wound.

"Ah," sighed Boyd deliriously as he gave an odd, contented smile at the black liquid pushing between his fingers. "That's why."

A sudden chink-chink of spurs caught Boyd's attention and he pulled himself forward some and cocked his six-shooter. He had just two bullets left and he'd be damned if he'd die before he got to use them. Laying as flat as he could on his stomach, Boyd used his one arm to prop up his gun and waited for the outlaw to come into view. First he saw the gun, then the lanky man stepped forward.

Boyd grinned as he shook his head, "You came to the wrong gunfight, son."

Two shots put an end to the desperate man's bid to kill the marshal. Boyd looked to where he had seen Raylan and was surprised to see him on his knees, his left arm made useless by a round and by the looks of it, Raylan had also been struck in the leg for he was making no attempt to get up. His brow was set forward in grim determination and his gun poised for one last shot. Boyd's breath went out of him as he realised that this was it. One last shot. But Boyd wouldn't let Raylan fight this alone. Boyd had so many plans for the future; a future of great health and prosperity, and for driving a certain US Marshal absolutely mad with his dancing about the line of the law. But the moment that Raylan left his house with that look of such terrible loneliness, Boyd knew he couldn't leave Raylan to his demise. He had to help, and it was in helping that Boyd saw that bright future of his draining onto that parched soil.

Fumbling for rounds, Boyd tried to reload his gun, but the trembling had increased and briefly his vision blurred, causing Boyd to drop two of the bullets. He cursed loudly, and that's when the two simotaneous shots came. Boyd jerked his head around and peered beyond the crates towards where Raylan had been looking and saw Tattler sprawled out on the ground. The bastard was dead!

"Well, I think congratulations are in order, Raylan Gi--," Boyd's words faltered as he watched Raylan collapse onto his back. Panic seized his throat, nearly silencing his voice as he called out, "Ray-- Raylan!"

Slowly Raylan turned his head to look at him and a soft smile spread across his lips, then stopped as he closed his eyes. Boyd abandoned his spot as he pushed himself up as fast as his failing body would allow. Sinking next to Raylan, Boyd shook his wounded arm, knowing just how painful that would be.

"Hey, Raylan, come on now, you have to get back and report this! You'll be a hero!"

Boyd stared expectantly at him, waiting for Raylan to awaken from his unconscious state and yell at him for something, anything. Taking Raylan's hand, which had fallen over his chest when he fell, Boyd had hoped to try and pull Raylan into a sitting position, but what he saw made his blood run cold. Raylan hadn't been hit just in the leg and arm, but in the chest, twice. Boyd knew the area well and drew in a sharp breath.

"Raylan..." Boyd sighed through a shaking voice as he placed Raylan's hand back over his chest. He then smoothed Raylan's hair back, just the way that Raylan had when he had saved Boyd's life many years ago.

Settling down on the ground, Boyd put his head against Raylan's arm and gazed up at the cloudless sky. "You never did come on my riverboat, Raylan. I always kept a room open for you in case you did change your mind about me retiring from my outlaw ways. I thought you'd never believe me, but I reckon something in you must have, or else we'd be opposite of one another right now instead of--"

Boyd gasped suddenly and felt his heart beginning to lessen. He turned his head to look at Raylan and saw that look of peace still resting on his face and felt comforted at the sight. His breath was all but gone as he whispered, "Raylan, I don't suppose now you'd want to come on my riverboat?"


End file.
